Forcing corrections in a setting where the photographer’s authority is strong is a shortcut to certain failure. He had to approach as carefully as possible and coordinate.
Though he was doing manager work, everyone here knew it was ultimately an experience and that his main job was being an idol. So no matter how strong-willed the photographer was, he probably wouldn’t take it badly.
“Hmm… Do you have a particular feeling you want?”
Just as Do Yeonjae thought, the photographer smiled gently. He also glanced at the <My Favorite! Chemistry> camera beside them. He probably thought he was working hard at pretending to be a manager for filming.
“Since this pictorial’s concept is street, I thought a more dynamic composition would be good too.”
Do Yeonjae brought it up in as casual a tone as possible. As if he understood well that while he was making a suggestion, accepting it was up to the photographer. So it wouldn’t feel like overstepping.
“For example, what kind?”
“First, Sunwoo-ssi, please come to the very front.”
“…What? Me?”
Moon Sunwoo’s eyes widened. Do Yeonjae slowly nodded and continued explaining.
“Yes. In that position, spread your legs standing on the left side, and lean your upper body forward sharply. So only your upper body and one leg show slightly in the camera. Behind that, have Juwon-ssi stand with a slightly crooked feeling…”
Do Yeonjae adjusted the composition while looking through the camera. The members showed bemused expressions for a moment at the sudden situation, but since the photographer had approved it, they followed Do Yeonjae’s words without complaint.
Moon Sunwoo’s full body shot was regrettable, but he was quite good at bringing out his expressions. After placing him at the very front and having only his face and upper body show to avoid the awkwardness of the full body, he drew the gaze first.
In the row behind, he had Ha Juwon stand on the left and lean his upper body just slightly, then had Choi Taeon on the right crouch down with bent knees.
Finally, he had Kwon Isoo stand in an upright posture at the very back center to anchor the visual focus, emphasizing his overwhelming physique and presence.
Moon Sunwoo at the very front played the role of visual focal point, Ha Juwon and Choi Taeon on either side balanced it out, and Kwon Isoo stood in back like a background, forming depth in the composition.
“Though everyone’s in different poses, the feeling is that all the gazes gather toward the center… Yes, I think it’s perfect right now.”
The photographer pressed the shutter at good timing. His reaction upon checking the photo was better than expected.
“Oh, honestly I didn’t expect much… but this is really good? The flow of the gaze is controlled with vitality, and it’s harmonious while having stability too. Members, want to check it once?”
As he exclaimed in admiration repeatedly, the NEOS members came up to the monitor with half-believing expressions.
And the moment they confirmed the cut displayed on screen, Moon Sunwoo’s pupils shook. As if unable to believe it, his eyes widened as he stared at the monitor.
Must be his first time standing at the very front in a group shoot. His expression visibly became flushed with excitement.
In this composition what stood out first was Moon Sunwoo, so naturally he would like it, and ultimately it was Kwon Isoo heavily emanating presence from the center, so the photographer would be satisfied too.
But it seemed those two weren’t the only satisfied ones. Kwon Isoo, who had been staring holes through the monitor while chuckling to himself, swaggered over.
“You liked my full body shot? You should’ve said so earlier.”
“…Huh?”
“Well, you have eyes too, so of course you’d know that much.”
He seemed to be under some tremendous misunderstanding, but the corner of his mouth lifted in such obvious good mood that Do Yeonjae couldn’t quite answer. Well… as long as everyone’s happy.
He didn’t know if this cut would be published in the magazine, but he was satisfied thinking it was a cut that suited the NEOS members.
Still, there were still several group compositions left, and it would be difficult to cover shortcomings every single time.
Do Yeonjae approached Moon Sunwoo, who still couldn’t take his eyes off the screen. He must really like it.
“Sunwoo-ssi.”
Moon Sunwoo looked at Do Yeonjae with eyes tinged with bewilderment and wariness. Does he suspect my intentions? Even that thought was plainly visible, so Do Yeonjae didn’t care and said what he was going to say.
“You’re putting in too much strength so your shoulders are rising excessively. That’s why your whole body is becoming stiff.”
“……”
“Breathe comfortably. For pictorials, flow is more important than stillness…”
It was a very typical mistake—the body stiffening from the pressure of having to fix a pose. Recalling that Moon Sunwoo was the main vocal, he added one more thing.
“Like catching the rhythm when you sing, just follow the flow naturally.”
…But Moon Sunwoo’s expression wasn’t good at all. An unpleasant light was clearly revealed on his face glaring at Do Yeonjae. Moon Sunwoo, who had furrowed his brow, sharply turned his body and returned to the front of the camera.
Left alone, Do Yeonjae scratched his cheek. Was that unnecessary meddling? Well, accepting it is up to him.
The shoot moved to the next cut. They brought in a sofa and other props midway to capture various compositions, and Moon Sunwoo’s poses became considerably more natural than before. Did he relax a bit?
Soon the group shoot ended.
“Cut! Okay. Change outfits and we’ll move to individual cuts.”
At the photographer’s words, the on-site staff began moving in unison.
From what he’d seen on the schedule, there were individual shoots for Kwon Isoo and Choi Taeon in the remaining morning time, and after that was lunch. Then in the afternoon, Ha Juwon and Moon Sunwoo’s individual shoots would follow.
Finally, they’d film the interview video.
Organizing movement on the filming site was also one of the manager’s duties. After taking the members to the waiting room, he helped them change outfits and watched them get their makeup retouched.
The individual concept Kwon Isoo was assigned was ‘dark secret mood.’ To express the loneliness and darkness of the streets, deeper smoky makeup went in than during the group shoot. A black suit setup brought out charisma, and a casual shirt and walker boots added street sensibility.
With blonde hair and smoky makeup, the decadent atmosphere felt even more intense. Either way, since his face supported it, he pulled off anything well.
Around the time individual shoot preparations were finished, a staff member knocked on the door, perhaps the on-site setup was also complete.
The individual shoot had a similar flow to the group shoot. However, the composition was easier to capture than with four people, and since Kwon Isoo was skilled at creating poses, filming flowed smoothly.
Especially when Kwon Isoo stuck both hands into his suit pockets and leaned his profile obliquely against the wall, even Do Yeonjae could only watch with bated breath. The sharp jawline and downcast eyelashes maximized the decadent atmosphere, naturally drawing admiration.
“Wow…”
Just then, while the photographer was adjusting the camera with his head lowered, the gaze that had been coolly surveying the scene touched Do Yeonjae’s dazed face.
Was his blank expression funny? Kwon Isoo’s lips twitched for a moment. His mouth closed in a straight line as if blocking the leaked laughter, then unable to hold it any longer, opened refreshingly wide.
He didn’t even feel embarrassed about being caught with a blank face. Because the eyes curving long were so bright, as if they’d absorbed all the studio’s lighting. Could the air flip like this from just one expression? With such an unrealistic face, the words fumbling from his mouth were just this:
‘Dummy.’
Using that kind of face to genuinely mock someone. Isn’t that a waste… It wasn’t just Do Yeonjae who thought so, as the photographer who belatedly saw Kwon Isoo’s face hurriedly focused.
“That expression just now was so good… How did that come out? Try it one more time. Huh?”
Though he pressed the shutter belatedly, Kwon Isoo’s smile had already completely vanished. Perhaps not even realizing he’d smiled so brightly, his heavily furrowed face was even cold. In the end, the photographer had to regretfully move to the next cut.
After finishing individual shoots up to Choi Taeon, the filming team provided lunch.
Since it was simple lunch boxes, the <My Favorite! Chemistry> filming team also decided to have lunch and break time.
“Enjoy your lunch! Yeonjae-ssi.”
“Yes, you too, PD-nim.”
After bowing to PD Woo Jiyeon and removing his mic, Do Yeonjae received lunch boxes for the NEOS members’ portions. As soon as he opened the door to the waiting room, Choi Taeon approached.
“Sunbae-nim, did you watch me filming? It was totally awesome, right?”
“Yes, I saw briefly… You were cool.”
“Hehe. Ah! Give me all of these, I’ll distribute them to my hyungs.”
“Thank you. Enjoy your meal.”
Choi Taeon smiled satisfiedly and took the lunch boxes.
Do Yeonjae roughly sat in a chair rolling around in the corner and opened his lunch box lid. There’s beef bulgogi, looks delicious. Just as he was picking up chopsticks with bright eyes, a low voice dropped.
“Do Yeonjae, what are you doing?”
“……?”
Kwon Isoo’s gaze was crooked as he sat perched on the sofa looking this way. Why? Not knowing the reason, he tilted his head, and Kwon Isoo pointed sharply at the spot next to him.
“Don’t sit there, come here.”
The sofa was deliberately left empty for the members to sit comfortably… Can’t I just sit anywhere and eat? Looking at his indifferent face, a crack formed in Kwon Isoo’s brow.
“That’s neglect of duty.”
“What neglect of duty.”
“Shouldn’t a manager watch from the side to see if they’re eating well?”
As soon as he heard that absurd statement, a hollow laugh came out. Normally he wouldn’t throw such a fit at his manager… Thinking that, when he looked at the NEOS manager, he was shaking his head with a bemused face. Meaning he’d never heard such an absurd statement even once.
Then suddenly yesterday’s events came to mind. Ah… Was that why he was staring holes through me when I ate the sandwich? While going on about work and such.
Still not understanding, Do Yeonjae swallowed a sigh and got up.
However, he didn’t go to the seat next to Kwon Isoo, but instead plopped down in front of the sofa where he was sitting. Since a foam mat was laid out, sitting on the soft floor gave him a very good view of the lunch box placed on Kwon Isoo’s thighs. In that state, he looked up at Kwon Isoo blankly. As if asking, are you satisfied now?
“There. Done, right?”
“…You, why are you sitting there acting crazy…”
“I’ll watch from here, so chew thoroughly.”
Come to think of it, he remembered when he’d given driving lessons, Kwon Isoo had said looking up from below wasn’t great. Unlike that, Kwon Isoo was exceptionally good-looking even when looking up at him from this angle.
The bridge of his nose and jawline stretching straight up to his forehead rather made his face even more three-dimensional. The thick neck continuing from the firm lower jaw filled with strength… why is it reddening?
“Are you hot?”
“……”
He must really be hot. Seeing even his ear tips had turned red.
